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As the capital of modern China, Beijing is fast becoming a popular destination. As you fly into the city, the Great Wall rises up beneath, slithering its way like a dragon along the tops of the mountains. Gradually, other city sites are in view, neatly ordered and arranged in a grid. As the center of 1000 years of imperial rule, Beijing was built to awe the power of the emperor. The central axis of the city is 7.5 km long, cutting through Beijing in a line from north to south. On this central line, are Yongding Gate, Qianmen Gate and Tian'anmen (The Gate of Heavenly Peace). Tian'anmen is the front entrance to the imperial city. Going north through Tian'anmen, you arrive at the Forbidden City. The best times to visit Beijing are in spring and autumn, particularly in the months of April, May, September and October. In particular, autumn is considered to be the best time to visit Beijing as the skies are clear and the weather is very comfortable. The four seasons are very clear in Beijing with a temperate spring, rainy summer, clear autumn, and a cold, snowy winter. During the Conference, the highest temperature is supposed around 10ˇăC-15ˇăC, and the lowest temperature of 1ˇăC-5ˇăC. The most convenient way to get around Beijing is by taxi. There are tens of thousands of them running around the city at all times of the day. There are basically 2 different price categories; 1.60 yuan/km and 2.00 yuan/km. If you can't speak Chinese, it is best to bring along the address in Chinese of the place you want to go, as most drivers' English is limited to "hello" and "ok". There are also lots of drivers running around in private cars who accept money for rides. However, it is inadvisable to take these cars, because they are a) illegal and b) not always trustworthy, but sometimes if there are no taxis available, this is the only option.
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